Cowboy in the Extreme

by Rita Herron

  KIM COULDN’T SLEEP so she slipped into Lucy’s room and combed through the toys she’d brought for her daughter. Lucy’s doll Johnny had given her last year for her birthday, the coloring books and crayons, her picture books, and the Lambie. Knowing it was morose but unable to help herself, she went to the closet and stared at Lucy’s clothes.

  The colorful T-shirts and tiny jeans and her extra pair of sneakers with the purple ties. The ribbons she liked to wear in her hair. The pair of shorts with the ruffled pockets and matching shirt.

  The little pink and white polka-dotted dress she’d bought for her last Easter. The only dress Kim had brought because she hadn’t expected them to stay more than a day or two.

  Fighting more tears, she clutched Lambie to her and sank onto the bed, then picked up Lucy’s pillow and inhaled her sweet little-girl scent and the strawberry shampoo she loved.

  Lucy’s yellow pj’s with the bunnies on them lay on the floor where Lucy had discarded them, and her chest heaved on a sob. Where was her daughter? Was the kidnapper treating her with care? Where would Lucy sleep tonight?

  Sheer terror threatened to overpower her, but she forced images of what Lucy might be enduring to the back of her mind. If Carter had her, he would keep her safe. She had to believe that. She couldn’t think any other way.

  It had to be Carter, not some other maniac.

  Her head began to throb again, and she curled on the bed. She wouldn’t go to sleep. But she had to stop the incessant pounding in her head so she closed her eyes. Fatigue finally overcame her though, and she dozed into a fitful sleep.

  Hours later, Kim jerked awake, a weak thread of light breaking through the darkness. The rain had ended sometime during the night.

  But her nightmare was still real.

  Suddenly anxious to see if Brandon might have heard news, she jumped out of bed, then ran to the bathroom and washed her face. A quick look in the mirror revealed bags under her eyes and disheveled hair with blood still staining the ends. She ran a brush through it, then headed downstairs. Her pulse was racing with worry, and she silently prayed that Carter had brought Lucy back and she’d be waiting in the kitchen with Brandon....

  She picked up her pace, then rounded the corner into the kitchen. A fresh pot of coffee sat on the counter, but no one was there. Then Brandon’s voice echoed from the master suite.

  She hadn’t been inside his room yet, hadn’t wanted to see where he had shared a bed with another woman, but she had to forget her pride. Still, she paused at his doorway, her pulse pounding at his words.

  “Yes, just have the cash ready,” Brandon said. “I don’t care how much he wants. I’ll give him the whole damn ranch in exchange for Lucy.”

  Kim’s heart squeezed at the intensity in Brandon’s voice. He might not love Kim, but his feelings for Lucy were obvious. He’d go to the extreme to save her, just as he had his little sister.

  She knocked softly, then stepped into the doorway. Brandon was pacing, his movements jerky, his jaw set stubbornly. A pair of well-worn jeans hung low on his lean hips, his broad chest shirtless, muscles bunching in his arms as he clenched the phone. He looked tired and worried, and his hair was sticking up as if he’d run his hands through it a dozen times.

  She gave a quick glance at the room and was surprised to see it was more masculine than feminine. A giant oak sleigh bed, covered in a dark blue quilt, dominated the space. A fireplace hugged one corner and French doors led outside to the side porch, offering a breathtaking view of the hills and lush pastures.

  He pivoted as if he sensed she was there; then his gaze locked with hers. His eyes glittered with turmoil and other emotions she couldn’t define. But his hard, lean, muscular body robbed her breath and vaulted her back to a time when she would have run into his arms without a second’s hesitation.

  God…so much had changed.

  Then he spoke into the phone. “Yes, I’ll stay in touch.” When he disconnected the call, he grabbed a denim shirt from the bed and yanked it on, although he didn’t button it right away.

  “Did you receive a ransom call?” Kim asked.

  Frustration flattened his mouth into a thin line. “I haven’t heard a damn thing.”

  Kim sagged with disappointment. “But you were getting money together—”

  “I wanted to be prepared,” Brandon said. “To have cash available just in case.”

  Kim nodded in understanding although she didn’t understand any of this. “Have you talked to the sheriff? Did they search Carter’s father’s place?”

  Brandon sighed and began buttoning his shirt. “I called him about a half hour ago. He sent some men over, but he said it didn’t look like anyone had been at the ranch in months.”

  Kim threw up her hands. “Where else would Carter go?”

  “I don’t know.” Brandon scrubbed his hand over his chin, where beard stubble had started to grow. “Johnny and I both thought he would show up at his place or here. And he could have vandalized the barn to draw me away from you so he could snatch Lucy.”

  Kim wrung her hands together as panic bubbled inside her. “You don’t think he’d try to cross the border, do you?”

  Brandon rubbed her arms. “If he does, the border patrol will stop him.” His breath whooshed out. “Besides, I don’t think Carter’s escape is about leaving the country. After the rodeo Johnny hired a P.I. to investigate Carter’s case. He claimed there was a woman who could alibi him. The P.I. was murdered right before Carter escaped, so Johnny thinks Carter is going to track her down and try to clear himself.”

  “But why carry Lucy if he’s on a wild goose chase?” A shudder rippled through her as she envisioned Carter being caught, facing armed cops prepared to shoot him, with Lucy in the middle. “What if he uses Lucy as a shield or a hostage? What if the police find him and she gets hurt in the cross fire?”

  Brandon cupped her face between his hands. “Stop it, Kim. We can’t imagine the worst.”

  “How can I not?” Kim asked. “Lucy was stolen from me and she’s been gone overnight—”

  “Shh…” he whispered. “I promise you we’ll find her.”

  Exhaustion and terror made her lash out. “Your promises don’t mean anything to me anymore.”

  Brandon’s face clouded. “I’m sorry, Kim.... I wish I could change the past, take back the way I treated you.”

  “But you can’t,” Kim said, her voice cracking.

  Heat sizzled between them as he stared at her. All the hurt and blame and the raw ache that she had lived with for so long was still there.

  But God help her, she still wanted him.

  His breath whispered out, a pained sound that tore at her. He was suffering. She knew that. He’d just discovered he had a child and now he’d lost her.

  “Maybe not,” he said gruffly. “But I swear on my sister’s grave that I won’t stop until Lucy is back with us.”

  Kim’s throat thickened at the same time her heart yearned to believe him, to trust him again. His gaze met hers, pleading, tormented, hungry. The need and loneliness she’d felt the last four years swelled inside her, begging for the reprieve only Brandon could offer her.

  He must have sensed her need because he angled his head and lowered his lips to hers. Kim tasted the heady combination of desire, potent masculinity and raw primal lust as his tongue teased her lips apart and he claimed her mouth with his.

  She had wanted him for so long that she couldn’t help herself.

  She gave in to him and returned the kiss, then threaded her hands in his hair, silently begging for more.

  BRANDON HAD CRAVED Kim for years.

  Having her here now in his arms only reminded him what a fool he had been to leave her. He had never felt this intense passion and heat for Marty. He’d never wanted to tear off her clothes or bury himself inside her.

  He had never wanted to marry her either.

  Only he had and he’d ruined things with Kim.

  But Kim moved against him, tunneling her f
ingers in his hair and drawing him closer, and her tongue danced with his in a mating ritual that heated his blood and made him crazy with desire. And he forgot about Marty. All he could think about was that he was finally kissing Kim again.

  He dropped one hand to her hip to pull her more snugly against him, and she made a small moaning sound that intensified his hunger.

  His sex surged to life, aching and throbbing for her, and he stroked her hip, moving against her, then kissed and nibbled his way down her throat. Kim leaned into him with a sigh, then slipped one hand inside his shirt to rub his chest. His heartbeat picked up, beating so fast that he felt like he would explode. She had to feel it beneath her palm, feel the heat in his body, the need and desire that he’d denied himself, the need and desire that had never died.

  Wanting her closer, aching to feel her bare skin against his fingers, to have her naked beside him, to plunge himself inside her and remind her how wonderful they were together both outside the bedroom and inside, he walked her backward toward the bed.

  But the moment he lowered her onto the mattress, she stiffened and pushed him away. He froze, hurting, wanting her more than he could voice, and even more confused by the stark look of passion still blazing in her eyes.

  “Kim?”

  “We can’t do this,” she whispered. “Not here.”

  He gently brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “But I just want to comfort you, I—”

  “No.” She stood, her expression haunted. “Not here, not in this bed where you slept with another woman.”

  Her voice quivered; then she raced past him without waiting for his response. He gritted his teeth as he heard the kitchen door slam, then forced himself to remain still and give her time. He had to be patient.

  Besides, even if he did confess his love, she wouldn’t believe him.

  He had to prove it. Earn her trust and forgiveness.

  Because if she couldn’t forgive him, there was no way they could ever be a family.

  And he didn’t just want Lucy back.

  Dammit. He wanted Kim.

  KIM DESPERATELY NEEDED some air. She had almost lost herself and made love with Brandon.

  But she could not give herself to him physically without offering him her heart and soul.

  And that was too risky.

  For all she knew, he might still love Marty. She didn’t know the details of the divorce. He might be hoping for a reconciliation.

  And then…where would that leave her? Out of his life again.

  Except for Lucy.

  How would Marty feel about their daughter?

  Her chest heaved as she ran across the yard to the barn. Seeing Spots would make her feel closer to Lucy. Lucy loved the horse so much.... What if she didn’t come home and never got to ride him again?

  Tears pricked at her eyes again, but she blinked furiously to stem them as she hurried into the barn. Horses from the first two stalls neighed and whinnied, and she petted them briefly, then made her way to the paint.

  Just as she reached Spots’s stall, someone grabbed her from behind. Kim tried to scream, but a hard cold hand clamped over her mouth.

  She kicked and tried to jab him with her elbow, but his grip tightened as he dragged her into the empty stall in the back.

  Chapter Ten

  Brandon had to go after Kim and straighten things out. In spite of their feelings for each other, they had to pull together and be strong to find their daughter.

  She would bind them together forever.

  He had just found her. He refused to lose her.

  Even if he couldn’t have Kim…

  No. By god, he would have them both.

  But he couldn’t dwell on that now or pressure Kim. Time was of the essence.

  His stomach knotted and he glanced out the kitchen window, alert, searching for Kim. Maybe he shouldn’t have let her go outside alone.

  A bad premonition suddenly tugged at his gut. If the kidnapper had been working with a partner and had intended to hurt Kim, he might still be close by.

  And he might come back to finish the job.

  He had to find her.

  THE MAN’S ARM PRESSED against Kim’s windpipe so tightly she gasped for air.

  But adrenaline surged through her. She would not let this guy kill her. She had to fight.

  She gritted her teeth, remembering the self-defense lessons Johnny and Brandon had taught her, then brought her left foot up and kicked backward aiming for his knee. But her attacker was too fast and dodged the blow.

  “Be still,” the man growled. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to talk.”

  Kim froze, her mind racing. Was this some kind of ploy to trap her into relaxing? Then he’d kill her?

  “Let me go,” she whispered.

  He jerked her tighter against him, and Kim felt his rock-hard chest against her back. He was a big man. Tall, muscular. And too damn strong for her. “Please…let me go.”

  He wrapped his leg around her, pinning her so tightly her arms throbbed. “Not until you stop fighting.”

  Kim closed her eyes, battling the urge to scream. She needed to use her head and convince him to tell her where he was holding Lucy. “All right.” She forced herself to relax, praying she wasn’t making a mistake. “Where’s my daughter?”

  He eased up on his grip but still held her in front of him. She struggled to turn around. She wanted to see his face.

  “I don’t have Lucy,” he growled. Then his hands dropped to her arms, and he spun her around to face him.

  The barn was dark, but a sliver of moonlight played off the man’s chiseled face. A jagged scar slashed his left cheek, his wide jaw was bruised, his eyes cold pits of ice. He looked older and worn, hardened and mean.

  But she recognized him anyway. “Carter?” Fury made her voice brittle. “Where is she, dammit?”

  Suddenly the barn door screeched open, and she heard Brandon’s voice. “Kim, are you in here?”

  Carter whipped a gun from inside his jacket and grabbed her arm.

  “Brandon!” Kim cried.

  “You have to listen to me, Kim,” Carter whispered.

  Brandon’s eyes widened as he halted in front of them. His look turned feral at the sight of Carter holding her hostage. “Dammit, Carter,” Brandon said between clenched teeth. “You’ve gone too far now. Let her go.”

  A shudder rippled up Kim’s spine as the men faced off like two bulls ready to gore one another. All the times they’d fought as boys and teenagers flashed in her mind. One minute they’d be friends, the next throwing fists and brawling like animals.

  But they’d always patched things up.

  Until the night she’d slept with Carter…

  Carter waved the gun, his nails digging into Kim’s arm. “Just stay there, Brandon. We have to talk.”

  “Talk?” Brandon snarled. “The only thing we have to talk about is Lucy. Where is she, Carter? What have you done with her?”

  “I didn’t kidnap Lucy,” Carter snapped. “That’s what I came here to tell you.”

  “Don’t lie to me,” Brandon said in a lethal tone. “If you want money, you’ve got it. Just give us back Lucy. That’s all we want.”

  Carter released a string of curses. “Listen to me, Brandon. I told you, I didn’t take Lucy. You’re wasting time blaming me when you need to be looking somewhere else.”

  Kim’s panicked gaze shot to Brandon’s. Carter sounded sincere.

  Brandon folded his arms across his massive chest. “Look, Carter, I know we had our differences. We fought. I didn’t show up at your trial and give you an alibi—”

  “This is not about us or our past,” Carter said in a seething tone.

  Then his face softened and he gave Kim an imploring look, reminding her of how gentle and loving he could be at times. Of the way he’d comforted her and held her the night she’d cried in his arms after Brandon had crushed her heart.

  “I know I was angry the last time I saw you, Kim, but I swear o
n my little brother’s grave that I did not kidnap Lucy. You knew me once. You know I would never harm a child.”

  The pain in Carter’s tone made Kim’s heart squeeze.

  But on the heels of relief, panic and fear hit her. If Carter hadn’t kidnapped Lucy, someone else had.

  Which meant Lucy could be in terrible danger.

  BRANDON DIDN’T KNOW what to believe. As a kid, he’d trusted Carter implicitly. As bullheaded teenagers, they’d fought and scrimmaged. But they had also formed a bond through those troubled years. A code that they’d lived by. They were blood brothers. They had each other’s backs. Always.

  Then Carter had slept with Kim.

  “I know you’re still bitter about me and Kim,” Carter said. He suddenly released Kim, his look full of regret. “But you have to accept some blame, too, man. You left her. I just stepped in to comfort her.”

  “You mean you jumped in her bed the moment I left it,” Brandon said.

  Carter’s scar reddened with his scowl. “That’s not how it happened—”

  “Stop it, you two!” Kim shouted. “Right now, Lucy is all that matters!”

  Brandon knew Kim was right, but Carter had betrayed him.

  Then again, you betrayed Kim first.

  Kim folded her arms across her middle. “You really didn’t kidnap Lucy?” Kim asked, her voice haunted.

  Carter shook his head. “No, Kim. Why would you think it was me?”

  “I thought you believed Lucy was yours. That you wanted to see her.” Kim’s lower lip quivered. “And I thought you hated me.”

  Disappointment streaked Carter’s tortured eyes. “I did see that picture of you and Lucy at the rodeo. And for a minute, I hoped that she was mine.” He rubbed at the scar on his forehead. “The past five years, you don’t know what it’s been like. I lost everything. My freedom. My friends. My chance at a future.” He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then opened them, looking haunted. “And when I first saw Lucy, I thought maybe I had something out here to live for.”

  Brandon’s heart twisted.

  “But the moment I saw Lucy’s green eyes, I knew she wasn’t mine. She was Brandon’s.”